Happy 850th anniversary to the borough

Newcastle-under-Lyme was granted its first royal charter in 1173 by King Henry II – after a population grew around a “new castle” built by the Normans – and the borough has been going strong ever since.

Expect an action-packed calendar of cultural and heritage activities throughout 2023 in honour of our loyal and ancient borough’s 850th anniversary. In a year of events, we will celebrate our famous sons and daughters, pioneers and heroes from the past 850 years with exhibitions, film showings, talks and online content delivered via Brampton Museum.

An engaging and inclusive anniversary programme has been developed with partners, local businesses, councillors and sponsors. To date the Council has secured several sponsors for the campaign including Keele University, Aspire Housing, the Community Foundation, Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, Options Management, Chesterton One Stop Shop and local MP Aaron Bell.

The programme of events can be found here.

Council Leader Simon Tagg said: “The 850th anniversary of Newcastle-under-Lyme in 2023 will be a great year for the borough. We will be bringing our communities and partners together across the year to celebrate our history and to look forward to our bright future. The seeds sown 850 years ago still bloom today – the charter first gave the town the right to hold an outdoor market and the market is still central to the town’s character, vitality and success. As well as celebrating our past, 2023 will see us move forward with key projects, such as the redevelopment of the Ryecroft site, which will help to secure the borough’s future prosperity.”